A/HRC/24/25 America), Isenim (Uzbekistan), the National Association of Community Legal Centres and 30 supporting organizations (Australia), the Red Cross of Serbia, the Regional Public Foundation for Assistance for the Elderly Dobroe Delo (Russian Federation), the Resource Centre for the Elderly, Public Association of Social Protection for Population and HelpAge International (Kyrgysztan), SOS Personnes Agées (Chad), Turbota pro Litnih v Ukraini (Age Concern Ukraine), UBA Schweiz (Switzerland), the Uganda Reach the Aged Association, the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry and the Centre for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (United States), Dr. P. Vyasamoorthy (India) and a group of private fund pensioners from Peru. 6. The challenges identified in the submissions included the impact of the financial crisis on the human rights of older persons; the high incidence of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, unemployment, food insecurity and homelessness among older persons; the scale of violence against and abuse of older persons; the lack of coverage, the high costs or inadequacy of social protection or social services; the scarcity of professionals in services that are specific to older persons’ needs; the isolation of older persons; the persistence of legal structures and instruments that favour institutional over home care; the lack of general legal recognition of age discrimination and ageing; and the lack of disaggregated data on older persons. 7. In their submissions, contributors also underscored the feminization of ageing and the need to pay attention to intersections of older age with other factors, such as sexual orientation, linguistic or ethnic minority origin, migration, disability, living in rural areas, internal displacement, and incarceration. Issues were also raised about lack of accommodation of the needs of older persons to ensure access to justice and to information (including difficulties arising from mandatory digitalization), and the lack of measures to promote political participation. 8. A number of the challenges were specific to certain regions, including witchcraft accusations against older women, restrictions to inheritance affecting older women, the impact of modifications to the family structure that have undermined the traditional protection of the extended family, and the lack of recognition of the care role of older persons for children as a result of migration, wars and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Submissions from developed countries pointed to challenges relating to the sustainability of pension and health systems with a decreasing number of contributors and a higher number of beneficiaries. 9. In many submissions, contributors also highlighted good practices, including the adoption of specific legislation, programmes and plans of action; the explicit inclusion of older persons in sectoral legislation (such as the prevention of family violence); the establishment of specific protection bodies; and efforts to ensure coordination among diverse relevant authorities in areas such as health, social protection and social services. Other efforts included measures to ensure broader coverage and adequacy of pensions, the possibility of combining working with receiving a pension, the coverage of specific health needs of older persons, and partnerships with civil society organizations. III. Panel discussions held during the public consultation 10. The public consultation was held in Geneva on 15 April 2013. Experts from United Nations agencies, governments, national human rights institutions, academic institutions and civil society organizations from different regions of the world discussed the main challenges to the full enjoyment of human rights by older persons and offered examples of good practices in the protection and promotion of the human rights of older persons. The consultation included an opening session with introductory remarks by the Deputy United 4